Hawks leave tickets for Jameer Nelson to see Derrick Rose

One of the more enduring late-season NBA images came after Orlando lost a tight game to Chicago on Apr. 10. At the end of game, Orlando guard Jameer Nelson interrupted Chicago guard Derrick Rose’s interview with ABC-TV to tell him he would “see him in the second round” of the playoffs.

That is, until the Atlanta Hawks soured his planning meeting with a six-game upset victory in the first round of the playoffs.

But just in case Nelson wanted to follow through on his plans, there were two tickets for him at last night’s Atlanta-Chicago game at the United Center — left courtesy of Atlanta spokesman Arthur Triche, the Associated Press reports.

Nelson’s tickets went unclaimed.

But the Hawks got the last laugh at Nelson’s expense for his bold but misplaced bravado.

Triche added that he may plan to leave another set for Nelson at Game 3 in Atlanta on Friday night.